Have you ever seen a child's eyes the first time they look down the main street of Disneyland? For them it’s a marvel too grand for words. Parents are more likely to look down that same street and imagine long line-ups and eternal waiting for everything.
I was reminded a while back that all children have this readiness to marvel and wonder no matter how poor and destitute they are. I was raised in Nigeria on the edge of the Sahara Desert where my parents were missionaries. A few Christmas’ ago I had their 50-year-old 8mm missionary movies transferred to video for them. In one scene they were giving out used T-shirts and shorts to the native kids in a leprosy village who had never seen, never mind owned, anything so wonderful. They had the same Disneyland look. The look that says, "What marvels are these? What do these wonders mean?"
This is the heart of life - coming to understand what the wonders of our existence and of our work mean. All that is possible, all the marvels of life, are wrapped up as divine gifts. They are gifts of freedom and endless joy, depending, of course, on our mind’s willingness to see and unwrap them.
The world, our own unique personal world, is full of marvels and wonders, each of which is connected to our divine purpose and destiny.
But very few people see marvels and wonders in their workplace. That’s a little strange and a lot sad because we often see them elsewhere in our lives. Consider this story...
An executive, who appears so uncaring and tough at work, actually managed to attend his daughter's grade four play: "The Legend of Johnny Appleseed." Melissa was Mrs. Johnny Appleseed in the play and she insisted that her dad and mom sit in the second row (the first row being "Reserved" for unknown dignitaries of enormous importance) right near the center aisle. They could see her white bonnet as she peered through the curtains to be sure they were still there and ready for the wonders they were about to see. And wonders there were!
It went the way grade four plays are supposed to go with children forgetting their lines or not saying them loud enough or saying them too loud. The teacher's constant prompts from backstage. The miscued curtains. Each one a marvel.
And then the marvel of all marvels and wonder of all wonders - Melissa's only line rehearsed a thousand times at dinner, in the bathtub and the last thing before sleep: "Oh my dear husband (that part always made the other kids laugh and it did this time too) do not be discouraged, for people around the world will eat from the orchards you have planted." I don’t even want to meet the parent whose eyes are not filled with tears of wonder in such a situation. (Heck, mine are and I'm just making this up.)
Work is one of the wonders of our marvelous lives! When we can't see the wonders, we are doomed to meander through life without ever finding our destiny. When we can't see the daily marvels and miracles all around us we can't make the choices that will lead us to the spiritual wealth that most of us desire.
Look around at your colleagues. You have no idea of what a miracle it is that they are there working with you – the challenges they’ve had to overcome and the decisions they’ve made to be there by your side. Marvel at that. While you’re at it marvel at how wonderfully different we all are; true for snowflakes and even more true for people. Look at the people you serve; who trust you with their time, money and businesses. Look at the fact that you can freely choose to make of your life and work what you will and the entire force of the Universe will back you up. Marvel at how much your dog loves you. Marvel at how your roses bloom in spite of your thumb being any color but green. Marvel at it all.
First we learn to see the wonders and then we learn to make positive and wise choices in response to those wonders. There are no ordinary circumstances; each is a marvel. The more we recognize them, the richer we become. May your life - and your work - be marvelous and wonders-full!
I wish you all a very happy Christmas and Chanukah – and may your heaven and nature sing!
Ian